


Out of our minds and out of time

by steveandbucky



Series: Stucky Drabbles [19]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Humor, Idiots in Love, Living Together, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, recovered bucky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-30 01:37:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5145491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steveandbucky/pseuds/steveandbucky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Steve finds that someone with shared life experience (spoiler alert: it's Bucky)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out of our minds and out of time

**Author's Note:**

> dumb little drabble vaguely inspired by that one episode in Friends (s4 ep23), though this fic is nothing like that. started out funny and got feelsy at the end, also not beta read so excuse any mistakes! kudos and comments are much appreciated :)

 

“I mean, maybe I’m overreacting,” Steve continues talking while chopping up carrots as he makes dinner, though at this point it has turned into a bit of a monologue, with Natasha humming noncommittally every now and then just to show that she’s still listening. “I just think it’s too soon. Isn’t it? I’ve been up and about longer than him and I’m still not ready to date yet.”

Natasha hums for the third time that night, turning a page in her magazine.

“Anyway, I don’t know why I’m obsessing about it.”

Nat chooses that moment to speak up. “Well, that might be something to do with the fact that you’re in love with him.”

“What?!” Steve cries out in a very high-pitched and not at all Captain-y voice, his head whipping around to look at Natasha. “I’m not in love with Bucky.” he says, now having regained his composure and sounding confident in his statement.

Nat gives him a strange look. “Okay...” she says slowly. “Really?”

Steve turns back to the peeled potatoes on his chopping board, frowning at them. “Yeah, really.”

Another hum, this one sounding rather sceptical. 

For a moment all that can be heard in the kitchen is the thud thud thud of the sharp knife against the wooden chopping board, before Steve starts his monologue again. “You know, I mean, yeah, I love him.” he says, dumping the now-cubed potatoes in the roasting dish. “He’s my best friend, of course I love him. But I don’t love him like _that_. Yeah, like in a friend way. Of course. I mean, I have feelings for Bucky, sure, feelings of love, but that doesn’t mean I’m _in love_ with him.”

Now Natasha is staring at him like Steve has just started speaking in a whole different language that Natasha didn’t understand (though, usually, it was the other way around between them).

Steve blinks at her. Twice. “Oh, God. Oh my God.” he puts the knife down and covers his mouth with both hands. “Oh my God, I’m in love with Bucky! How did I not know this?” he shouts out, throwing his arms in the air. _“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”_

Natasha shrugs. “We thought you knew.”

“WE?!”

“It was too obvious a thing to point out," she continues. “Anyway, you need to calm down. It’s not like he’s getting _married_ to the guy. It’s just a date.”

Steve’s eyes grow wider and wider, the word ‘married’ scaring him in a whole different way. What if he’s too late? What if Bucky’s found love with his date tonight, whatshisface? Rick or Nick or something.

“I need to tell him,” Steve mumbles out. He unwraps the apron from around his waist and quickly washes his hands in the sink.

“Where are you going?” Natasha calls out after him, sounding genuinely surprised.

“I need to tell him!” Steve replies, louder this time as he grabs his jacket and bolts out the door.

Natasha sighs, pulls out her phone and dials Sam’s number. “Hey, Falcon,” she says coolly. “Do me a favour and pick Steve up, will you? He’s heading downstairs now and is about to do a Very Stupid Thing.”

“When you say pick him up?” Sam replies, no surprise in his voice at Natasha’s request. It’s not an unusual occurrence for him to step in and stop Steve from doing something downright idiotic.

“Just grab him and bring him up to his apartment. Oh, and pick up some wine on the way if it’s at all convenient.”

 

~~

 

Bucky turns on his heel as soon as he’s done saying his good nights to Nick, with promises to call each other and arrange another date. He chooses to walk home to clear his mind and get this thoughts in order, instead of taking the subway or calling for a taxi.

It was a surprisingly good date, with delicious food and pleasant conversation; Nick was polite and charming and a perfect gentleman, really, and Bucky liked him, he really did. It’s just, when it came down to the important stuff, it was hard to connect with him.

It's after midnight when he gets home - and God, it's still strange to call this massive 100-storey building his home, but there's nothing not strange about his life these days. Steve is still awake, lounging on the couch in their shared apartment, his face illuminated by the bright light of his laptop, and it makes Bucky think, yeah, this is his home now.

“Hey, Stevie,”

Steve looks at him with a small smile. “Hey, Buck. Did you have a good time?”

Bucky tosses his keys on the coffee table, placing his phone and wallet next to them before he kicks off his shoes and climbs under the blanket on the opposite end of the couch. “Yeah, I guess.”

Steve nods. “So you’re going out with him again, or...?” he asks, keeping his gaze on the computer screen instead of meeting Bucky in the eye.

“I dunno,” Bucky mumbles. He stretches out his legs and leans back, staring at the ceiling. “This dating thing...it’s a bit weird, isn’t it?”

Steve hums, but whether it’s in agreement or not, Bucky can’t tell.

“We talked and it was nice and all but I felt like we didn’t really have a lot in common. I don’t mean little things, I mean the important things. I was born in a different century, for gods sake. Well, technically he and I were born in the same century, but you know what I mean.” he looks up to see Steve looking at him with wide eyes. “Sorry, I’m rambling.” he says, grinning sheepishly. “It’s just, if there’s anyone who will get me it’s you.”

“Yeah,” Steve says, though his voice comes out in a mere whisper. “Hard to find someone with shared life experience.”

“Exactly!” Bucky exclaims. “Yeah, hi, my name’s Bucky and I was born in 1917, and I fought in World War 2 and everyone thought I fell to my death but in reality I survived and was captured and frozen for decades, brainwashed and used as a weapon and then suddenly snapped out of it to realise I’m in the 21st century.” Bucky says it all in one huge sentence and then huffs out a laugh. “Sounds ridiculous.”

“Do me,”

“What?”

“I mean, my story, like you just told me yours. Tell me mine.”

“Right.” Bucky frowns. “You...why?”

Steve shifts a little and knees Bucky in the ribs by accident, the brunet letting out a soft ‘Ow’ at the impact. Steve mumbles an apology and moves to put the laptop by the floor next to him, then sits up to look at Bucky in the eye. He looks nervous all of a sudden.

“When you say all that, it kind of...kind of sounds like my life story, doesn’t it?”

Bucky frowns for a moment. He sits up so he’s at eye-level with Steve. “Yeah, I guess it does, in some ways. Why?”

Steve licks his lips, drawing Bucky’s attention to them momentarily. Not for the first time, he notices how kissable Steve’s lips look, pretty and pink and _perfect._ He tucks the thought away to a faraway corner of his mind.

“What I said, about it being hard to find someone with shared life experience...after I woke up from the ice, I didn’t think I’d meet someone like that. I did go out on dates, contrary to popular belief, but I just wasn’t ready for that. And then you appeared in my life all of a sudden, and, Buck,” Steve ducks his head as he breathes out a little laugh. “I’m embarrassed it took me almost two years to realise this, but...but I think you are that person for me.”

Bucky blinks. Is Steve telling him what he thinks Steve is telling him?”

“You mean, you and I...?” he trails off, not daring to finish the sentence.

“Yeah,” Steve smiles shyly.

Bucky’s mouth curves into a full smile almost on its own accord. “I can’t say I haven’t thought about it, once or twice or about twenty times,” he admits in a quiet voice. “I just never thought you’d be interested in that. Men, generally, me, specifically.”

“I am. Interested. I’m very interested. In you, though, no one else.”

Bucky’s grin widens. “So you and I, huh?”

“You and I.” Steve whispers.

Bucky reaches out to take Steve’s hand in his, intertwining their fingers together. Steve stares at their linked hands now, eyes wide but a smile on his face like he can’t believe Bucky is holding his hand. Bucky’s not sure he can believe this is happening either, but something seems to have settled into place, deep in his heart. He hums for a moment as he rubs his thumb across Steve’s knuckles.

“You and I,” Bucky repeats. “It makes sense, doesn’t it?”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Update: [I am now doing freelance fanfic writing on fiverr.](https://www.fiverr.com/emmatunjikian/write-fanfiction-of-your-liking) Hmu :)


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